Container for carrying and transporting cupcakes and other pastry items

ABSTRACT

A container provided for carrying and transporting cakes, such as cupcakes, including a base, a series of trays provided for mounting upon the base, the trays being removable and shaped to accommodate the insertion of pastry items therein, and a lid shaped like a dome over the trays, resting upon the base, for providing closure of the container. The dome has a handle upon its upper surface to allow a person to transport dozens of confectionaries to another location from where baked.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional application claims priority to the provisional application for patent Serial No. 60/696,343 which was filed on Jul. 1, 2005 which is incorporated by reference and the aforesaid application is commonly owned by the same inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a container and more specifically to a particularly designed container, that can be used for carrying and transporting cupcakes, cookies, and other pastry items and still maintain their integrity and freshness.

Various types of containers have readily been available for holding cakes or other food items. For example, the cake pan has long been used to hold a cake, and to maintain its freshness, while being stored for future eating or snacking. In addition, the elevated cake tray, usually fabricated of glass or plastic, has long been used for holding cakes. But, a specific type of domed container, having a series of trays, which may be shaped to accommodate cupcake trays therein, it would appear, it has not been available in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention contemplates a design for carrying and transporting cupcakes. The container may also be used to transport cakes, cookies, and other pastry items.

The container itself is made of heavy plastic, and is generally rectangular in shape and hollow. The top is of a domed configuration, and has a handle on top with small nub like pins on the bottom, generally upon the lower edge opposite the handle. Alternatively, the base has snap closures on each of its four sides. These may be scalloped in shape, and have small holes in order to snap onto the pins of the top or dome.

Inside the container sit three cupcake trays. More or less number of trays may be used depending on the type, width, and height of a tray. Each tray may be stacked one upon the other. All of the trays are individually removable. The trays are made of the same heavy plastic as the top, or lid, and the base, or body, of the container. The trays preferably are rectangular in shape. They are slightly smaller in width and length than the body of the container to fit it. Each tray has, in the preferred embodiment, twelve individual cups in which to hold cupcakes. On the shorter side of each tray is a handle for lifting of the tray. The corners of each tray have legs, depending from its bottom surface. And, on the top surface each corner of a tray has a minor indentation that accommodates the leg from another tray that is stacked onto it, as in vertically above it.

This invention satisfies the need to transport cupcakes without smearing their icing or making any other mess. Parents frequently make cupcakes to bring to children's parties, and often need to transport up to three dozen, more or less, of such cupcakes. The container provides the consumer the ability to transport these cupcakes in a compactly sized container due to these stackable trays. The size of the trays allows for the frosted, or iced, tops of the cupcakes to avoid any contact with the walls, top or lid, or tray above, thus leaving the icing spread as done by the baker.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a container for conveniently holding a variety or plurality of cupcakes, maintaining their individual integrity and decorative appearance, without damage.

It is another object of this invention is to provide the consumer with a way to transport large amounts of cupcakes in an attractive and convenient carrying container.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stylish display type of platter, of cupcakes, and which is accomplished when removing the lid or trays, from within the container.

A further object of this invention is to allow for the remaining platter of the container, once its lid has been removed, to display cupcakes, cakes, rolls, as well as many other kinds of food products.

Still another object of this invention is to provide the consumer with the option to just use one of the stackable trays, or two, three, or more, during the containers usage.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container that can hold a few, or many, cupcakes ready for usage in a compact volume, and to transport them conveniently.

These and other objects may become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the summary of the invention as provided herein. In addition, the invention will be better understood upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In referring to the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a front view of the container for carrying and transporting cupcakes and other pastry items with a partial internal view;

FIG. 2. is a side view thereof with a partial internal view;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of the container;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the container with its cake holding trays provided therein;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of just the base of the container, showing its raised edges;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the trays of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the trays; and

FIG. 8 is an end view of the one of trays for the container.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 show the top and base of the present invention, commonly known as the Cupcake Caddy. The entire structure of this invention may be made of any type of heavy plastic material, resistant to temperature, and opaque, translucent, or transparent. The lid 1, or top, is rectangular with a domed shaped top. The base 2, or platter, is rectangular in shape with each side, or edge, having preferably a scalloped shaped closure 3. The closure 3 is approximately one inch in height. Each closure 3 preferably has five holes 9 across the edge of the closure 3 matching the five pins across each of the four edges of the lid. The holes on the closure 3 snap, or fit, onto the pins on the base of the lid 1 in registry. When latched together, the pins upon the holes secure the top 1 to the base 2. The top of the lid has a thick handle 4. The handle 4 is located in the middle of the top of the lid 1 and has a lengthwise orientation.

A key part of this invention is the stackable trays 5 a, shown in FIGS. 6 through 8. Each tray has twelve individual cups 5 for cupcakes. Each tray is made of the same dense plastic material as the base and top, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, and is generally opaque. Preferably the tray is rectangular in shape and alternatively circular in shape. Each cup is approximately one and a half inches (1½″) deep and two inches (2″) wide. Each tray has one handle 6 on each of its two shorter sides. These handles 6 are attached to the top surface of the trays and extend upward and away from the cups. Each tray has four legs 7, one at each corner of the tray. These legs 7 make each tray able to stack upon one another. On the top surface of each tray in each corner is a ¼ inch deep indentation, as at 8, into which a tray leg 7 may fit. The fitted connection of the leg into the indentation lends stability to the stacked trays, preventing any jostling which could upset the iced and tasty contents of the present invention known as the Cupcake Caddy.

Variations or modifications of the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the disclosure provided herein. Such variations or modifications are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention as described herein. The description of the preferred embodiment and of the drawings showing the same are provided herein for illustrative purposes only.

From the aforementioned description, a container for carrying and transporting cupcakes and other pastry items has been described. The carrying container is uniquely capable of readily transporting a stacked array of trays in a compact volume. The carrying container and its various components may be manufactured from many materials including but not limited to polymers, high density polyethylene HDPE, polypropylene PP, polyethylene terephalate ethylene PETE, polyvinyl chloride PVC, nylon, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their alloys and composites.

The phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention. 

1. A device for conveying baked goods and other pastries without contamination, comprising: a container, generally hollow; and, at least one tray, fitting within said container generally horizontally.
 2. The pastry conveying device of claim 1 further comprising: said container having a top, an opposite and separate base generally locating beneath said top, said top and said base having at least one perimeter edge; and, a means to temporarily secure said top to said bottom.
 3. The pastry conveying device of claim 2 wherein said securing means is one of pins and cooperating holes and snaps and cooperating holes.
 4. The pastry conveying device of claim 3 further comprising: at least four of said pins locating upon said perimeter edge of said top and at least four of said holes locating upon said perimeter edge of said base.
 5. The pastry conveying device of claim 2 further comprising: said top having a generally domed shape, a handle centered upon said top, and a perimeter edge defining a rectangle; and, said base having a generally planar shape and said perimeter edge defining a rectangle in cooperation with said top.
 6. The pastry conveying device of claim 5 further comprising: said top having the shape of a rectangle and at least two of said pins upon each side of the rectangle, said handle being oriented longitudinally; and, said base having the shape of a rectangle in cooperation with said top and at least two of said holes upon each side of the rectangle.
 7. The pastry conveying device of claim 6 wherein said top has five pins on each side and said base has five holes on each side.
 8. The pastry conveying device of claim 1 further comprising: at least two of said trays, each of said trays having an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, at least two handles spaced apart and extending from said upper surface, at least three indentations spaced upon a perimeter of said upper surface, and at least three legs depending from said lower surface, said legs on one tray engaging said indentations of another tray when said trays are stacked vertically.
 9. The pastry conveying device of claim 8 further comprising: each of said trays having at least six cups depending therefrom; and, each of said cups having a depth and a width.
 10. The pastry conveying device of claim 9 further comprising: each of said trays having twelve cups and each of said cups having a depth of approximately 1.5 inches and a diameter of approximately 2.0 inches.
 11. A device for conveying baked goods and other pastries without contamination, comprising: a container, generally hollow; and, at least two rectangular trays, within said container in a generally horizontal position, said trays stacking vertically, each of said trays having an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, two handles spaced apart and extending from said upper surface, four indentations spaced upon a perimeter of said upper surface and four legs depending from said lower surface, said legs on one tray engaging said indentations of another tray when said trays are stacked, and twelve cups depending from said lower surface. 